Episode Summary
Shen Xifan deals with a sudden breakup with Yan Heng while preparing for a major IT summit at her hotel. He Suye, concerned about Xifan, gets her contact information and sends her medicine and licorice. Xifan learns that He Suye is an oncology doctor, and they meet at the hospital's herbal garden, where he provides her with a new prescription and health advice. Xifan is dealing with her breakup privately.
Spoiler Alert
After a brief period of sadness, Shen Xifan throws herself back into her work. The hotel is buzzing with preparations for the Jiangzhou IT Summit. During his lunch break, He Suye watches a news report about the summit and catches a glimpse of Xifan working. He sees a different side of her and feels a pang of sympathy for how busy she is.
On Saturday, Xifan misses her follow-up appointment at the clinic due to work. Fleeting thoughts of Yan Heng surface, but she tries to keep her emotions in check. He Suye notices Xifan's absence from the appointment records and asks the receptionist, Xiao Sun, about her. Learning she didn't come in, he cleverly gets Xifan's phone number from her registration, planning to use the appointment as a pretext to express his concern.
Xifan is busy checking in Yan Heng's father at the hotel. When she overhears Yan's father agreeing to arrange a blind date for his son, she feels a pang of discomfort. He Suye takes the initiative and calls Xifan, smoothly getting her WeChat contact and address. He sends her new medicine and some licorice he dried himself.
Just as He Suye is excitedly about to remind Xifan to make licorice tea, Xifan sends him a payment, instantly extinguishing the spark he felt. Later that evening, He Suye messages Xifan, explaining the therapeutic benefits of licorice tea and suggesting she drink it instead of milk tea.
Meanwhile, He Suye makes licorice tea and, uncharacteristically, posts a photo of it on his WeChat Moments. Xifan likes the post late at night, and He Suye catches her being up late. He Suye's grandfather, Yu Liren, accidentally discovers that He Suye has obtained Xifan's contact information and wonders if their relationship has progressed. However, He Suye reveals that Xifan already has a boyfriend, leaving Yu Liren disappointed and advising him to give up.
The next day, the Jiangzhou IT Summit proceeds as scheduled. Although abruptly dumped by Yan Heng and unable to contact him, Xifan still manages to focus on her work. After attending the summit, Yan's father asks Xifan to see him to the parking lot and inquires if she has heard from Yan Heng about the breakup. Xifan still harbors a glimmer of hope, thinking Yan Heng's absence is due to him being abroad. However, when she learns that Yan Heng is at home, her emotions finally break.
That evening, Xifan remembers He Suye's advice and hugs a tree trunk to relieve her stress, also taking two extra bags of Chinese medicine, hoping to fall asleep early. Her friend, Xu Xiangya, is furious on her behalf, believing Yan Heng to be a coward and a scumbag for not showing up at the summit. Xifan is unsure whether to tell her parents about the breakup and doesn't know how to explain it, so she decides to keep it a secret for now.
Besides occasionally working at the traditional Chinese medicine building, He Suye spends most of his time in the oncology department of the Chinese medicine hospital. Li Jie is pursuing Fang Kexin, who are classmates, but Fang Kexin secretly harbors feelings for He Suye and uses her thesis as an excuse to get closer to him. Meanwhile, Xifan doesn't see He Suye at the traditional Chinese medicine building and messages him. He invites her to meet at the hospital's herbal garden.
It is through this meeting that Xifan discovers He Suye is actually a doctor in the oncology department. He Suye gives Xifan a tour of the herbal garden and then sits with her on a bench, taking her pulse and inquiring about her recent well-being. Xifan avoids the topic of the breakup, simply saying she's been busy with work. He Suye doesn't press the issue and engages in a pleasant conversation with her. He Suye prescribes a new formula for Xifan's condition and specifically advises her on dietary restrictions. Xifan readily agrees, takes the prescription, and is about to leave when she suddenly stops and turns back to thank him for taking the time to see her. He Suye smiles, and they agree to meet again next Saturday.
